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Last Updated on December 20, 2023 by Thee Puppypreneur
WHAT ARE STRUVITE CRYSTALS IN DOGS
Struvite crystals in dogs are the most common type of crystals and stones found in dogs today.1Urine Crystals in Dogs and Cats (embracepetinsurance.com) They are comprised of minerals.
I have dealt with both struvite stones in cats and struvite crystals in dogs.
They are usually formed due to a urinary tract infection, or where urine pH is typically alkaline in nature.
A neutral pH is 7.0 and it’s a balancing act as too acidic of pH meaning less then 6.5 can cause oxalate stones but that is for another discussion.
A pH above 7.0 is considered alkaline and this is when struvite crystals can form. When there are many crystals, they can bind together to form larger stones.
HOW DO DOGS GET STRUVITE CRYSTALS
Urea is a substance that is produced in the liver from the breakdown of proteins in the body and is mainly discharged through urine. 2 High urea: causes – Fastlyheal
Typically, very high protein diets can result in protein being lost in urine instead of metabolized.
This can cause very high urea which turns into ammonia and causes the urine to become more alkaline.
More commonly, however struvite stones in dogs form when there are bacteria from let’s say a urinary tract infection.
When your dog has a urinary infection the pH level in urine is usually alkaline.
Another way that struvite crystals in dogs can form is if your pet doesn’t drink enough water.
Not drinking enough water can lead to concentrated urine where the struvite crystal is already a natural mineral being deposited so not having urine to flush them out will allow them to collect and bind to form stones.
STRUVITE CRYSTALS IN DOGS SYMPTOMS
- Frequent Urination
- Straining to urinate
- Licking around the genital region frequently
- Blood in urine
- Crying while trying to urinate
- Urinating in abnormal places
- Inability to urinate
If you would like to test your dog’s urine at home like I do, then these strips are an option
You will want to look at things like pH level, leucocytes, blood and nitrites.
If you suspect something is wrong with your pet, please take them to see a veterinarian as soon as possible as waiting could be fatal if there is a urinary obstruction.
These strips can also be used as a guide after your vet visit so you can see how their doing and check pH levels.
HOW ARE STRUVITE STONES IN DOGS DIAGNOSED
There are a couple different ways that struvite’s are diagnosed. There is an IDEXX® machine that uses SediVue to test the urine.
This diagnostic tool allows you to see the types of bacteria present and also the number of crystals present as well as the types of crystals.
The use of diagnostic imaging such as x-rays or ultrasound can be used to determine any stones that are present and the number of stones as well but not what type of stone they are.
HOW ARE STRUVITE CRYSTALS IN DOGS TREATED
Depending on the severity of the situation and the condition of your pet at the time of the veterinarian visit you should have a couple options available to you.
The most affordable option by far is to make a lifestyle adjustment in the form of dietary change and increased water intake. There are prescription diets that help to achieve stone dissolution after a couple of months on them.
Foods such as prescription diets from Hill’s Prescription Diet ® could be an option for you as there are c/d and s/d and you should know that the s/d is for dissolving the stones s/d Wet Dog Food (hillspet.com).
The c/d is for preventative maintenance Amazon.com: Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food, Veterinary Diet, 8.5 lb. Bag : Pet Supplies
Other dog food that can help dissolve struvite crystals in dogs is Canine Urinary SO® | Royal Canin US and this brand is only available from your veterinarian.
It should also be noted that these dog foods that are meant to dissolve the crystals are not meant to be given lifelong. They will be for a specified duration from your veterinarian, and they are for struvite crystals in dogs, they are not for oxalate stones.
BLADDER STONE SURGERY IN DOGS
Another option is bladder stone surgery in dogs, and this is called a cystotomy. This could be due to obstruction, or this could be due to failed results after trying the diet.
Either way the abdominal wall is cut open and then another incision is made into bladder and the stones are removed.
They then flush out the area to make sure no stones remain or have migrated to the urethra and then the dog is sutured back up.
The other option you have is dependent on if the stones are small enough to pass through the bladder on their own or not will depend on if you are going to need lithotripsy which is
“a laser fiber is passed through the endoscope, placed in contact with the stone, and Holmium:YAG laser energy is then applied causing fragmentation.” 3Laser Lithotripsy of Canine Bladder and Urethral Stones | Veterinary Teaching Hospital | Virginia Tech (vt.edu)
Basically, lithotripsy sends ultrasound shockwaves to the stone to break it up into smaller pieces.
At this point you can use urohydropropulsion which involves sticking a catheter into the urethra and flushing the stones into the bladder.4Laser Lithotripsy of Canine Bladder and Urethral Stones | Veterinary Teaching Hospital | Virginia Tech (vt.edu)
By using a catheter, you also run the risk of causing further pain and trauma to the area as well as possibly creating another bacterial or urinary infection. 5Laser Lithotripsy of Canine Bladder and Urethral Stones | Veterinary Teaching Hospital | Virginia Tech (vt.edu)
NATURAL REMEDIES FOR STRUVITE CRYSTALS IN DOGS
There are many different natural remedies for struvite crystals in dogs and some of the options that are available depend on the number of stones, the size of the stones and the health condition of your pet.
DIET MODIFICATION
A specialized diet is one way that is typically recommended for struvite crystals in dogs, as these crystals or stones are capable of being dissolved and managed.
A specialized diet consists of low phosphorous and protein and to help maintain acidity in the urine.
For my cat we made the switch from dry food to wet food as he wasn’t getting enough water throughout the day and this helped.
This was after he had surgery to remove the stones though, as there wasn’t time to wait and see if the stones would dissolve. (Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d®) was shown to be effective in dissolving infection- induced struvite stones in an average time of 14.4 wk (range 2 to 5 mo) 6 Rinkardt, N. E., & Houston, D. M. (2004). Dissolution of infection-induced struvite bladder stones by using a noncalculolytic diet and antibiotic therapy. The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne, 45(10), 838–840.Dissolution of infection-induced struvite bladder stones by using a noncalculolytic diet and antibiotic therapy – PMC (nih.gov)
WATER CONSUMPTION
Increasing your pets water consumption allows for the urine to become less concentrated. This can be achieved a couple different ways.
One way is to add a fun little fountain with running water to entice your pet to drink more water. Maybe they will like playing with the water or it will just remind them to drink more often, and it keeps the water circulating and not standing.
A good option is this stainless steel one which is easy to clean and includes filters as well and this one is made for cats and smaller dogs.
Another option for larger dogs is this water fountain which has a color changing bottom but does not come with a filter and isn’t stainless steel.
Getting your furbaby to drink water can sometimes be more difficult than it sounds. For me I add water to the home cooked food, but before I used to add water to the kibble and wait a few minutes to let it soak up and get mushy.
With the cat, he refused to drink water, so we swapped from dry feline c/d prescription to the WET CANNED food which allowed for more fluid intake because of the moisture content in the wet food.
SUPPLEMENTS
Methionine is an amino acid that is often added to dog foods to help acidify the urine.
You can also get a prescription from your vet if diet and other medications are not working to acidify the urine properly.
Methionine should not be used in dogs with kidney or pancreatic diseases.
Cranberry has been found to be effective at changing the pH of urine acidity.
Amazon.com: Puritan’s Pride One A Day Cranberry Capsules, 120 Count (Pack of 2) : Health & Household
as I make sure to check the ingredients and look for capsules that do not contain silica or silicon dioxide for various health concerns as
“Exposure to silica has been associated with tubulointerstitial disease, immune-mediated multisystem disease, chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.” 7Ghahramani, N. “Silica nephropathy.” The international journal of occupational and environmental medicine vol. 1,3 (2010): 108-115. Silica nephropathy – PubMed (nih.gov)
I use them as needed and I also have an 80 pound little munchkin, so check with your veterinarian as to the appropriate dose for your dog.
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